Crocodile Trophy 2014: Profiling the Stages

The 2014 Crocodile Trophy will be a UCI classified MTB Stage race, attracting an S1 ranking. Only the Cape Epic has the highest ranking, HCS – or “beyond categorisation” for a Stage Race. The Crocodile Trophy is arguably the longest running MTB Stage Race in the world. It’s possibly the hardest too – but ‘hard’ isn’t easy to quantify from one race to the next, and one year to the next.

Stage 1: Smithfield. 35km/900m  (5 laps XC)

The Croc has found a home in Cairns, and the 2014 race will start in Cairns with a 5 lap race of the cross country trails behind James Cook University in Smithfield. Whether some of the new trails built for the 2014 UCI World Cup will be used or not will depend on the race organisers. It does seem unlikely that the Crocodile Slide will be used in the Crocodile Trophy though. No matter how good the naming would be.

Stage 2: Cairns to Lake Tinaroo. 89km/2500m

This is now a Croc classic. A neutral parade out of town, a restart on the road up to the dam, and then it’s on – or near enough, depending on what the strongest riders have to say about it. The race has to get onto the Atherton Tablelands, and that is done in two sections, with some soul destroying farmland between the two rainforest climbs. Riders head upto about 1200m climbing Mt Edith, before finishing along a frustratingly long run around Lake Tinaroo to the campsite. There isn’t any single track today, but a lot of rainforest climbs and descents where there is only one rideable line, and a whole lot of climbing.

Soft Trophy option: Book a cabin ahead of time at the Holiday Park opposite the lake.

Stage 3: Atherton – Atherton. 96km/3000m

Who raced the 2013 Australian National XCM Champs? Well looking at the numbers above, we can suspect it’s 3 laps of the Marathon course at Atherton. Lots of single track, lots of climbing. Lots of pain! There are over 30km of purpose built single track there already, with more being built this year. It’s top quality trail, but the exact course will likely be set closer to the date. Don’t be surprised if you ride there and back through the farmlands. +40km. Brilliant MTBing. Pure Croc kilometres with the commuting extras.

Soft Trophy option: Make sure you have a support person to drive you to and from the race start, if you would otherwise be riding. Take a look at a map. Maybe 3 nights accommodation in Atherton is a good idea?

Stage 4: Atherton – Atherton. 90km/2700m

Oh good, an easier day… more time in Atherton MTB park – and you should be glad. The trails are divine, and link into countless kilometres of old logging roads. This day depends on the shape of the last one. Maybe it’s a modified loop in reverse, or bigger laps? Further details are yet to be made public, but it will be on the hills behind Atherton, close to good coffee and pub meals. A hotel in Atherton really is looking like a good idea.

Soft Trophy option: Beyond accommodation, press the race organisers on crit rules – if you flat, can you get a lap out?

Stage 5: Atherton – Irvinebank. 122km/2500m

Another classic Croc day. You leave the forest, the red dirt and the fruit bowl of Tropical North Queensland and head west to where they don’t have a wet season. They just have hot. And dry. You’re getting a taste for the Croc in the second half of today. Great mountain bike terrain out of Atherton, then onto old farm trails – ones that a 4 wheeler might make it down. Or not. Something a horse could walk along – or not. The middle section of this stage is tough! And that’s before the rolling dirt roads, best suited to a high clearance, full time 4WD. Irvinebank is a one pub town and they have a great band on to entertain Croc competitors. Hit the ice-cream fridge early before it gets raided.

Soft Trophy option: Really, get a map and see what is central. Use the aforementioned car and evac back to Atherton for another meal at the pub. Herberton is another option.

Stage 6: Irvinebank – Mt Mulligan. 145km/2600m

Another classic! But with some extra kilometres in there. Gone is the ‘Irvinebank Kermesse’ made up of 4x26km laps of the pig tracks and corrugated dirt roads around Irvinebank. There were no lap outs on that one. What seemed like a cruel joke after one lap was a horrible reality after 2, and a death march soon after that. But it’s gone! The terrain is similar, with fire trails that the race vehicles can’t access being used early on, it’s really a case of picking your line if you want to go fast. MTBers get clear here, but roadies catch up again in the flat farm lands. Stay alert and keep out of the erosion ditches. There seems to be an extra 20km in the route. It usually finished fast and punchy into Mt Mulligan, after a lot of barely visible double track, raced at speed. There may be more of this, or it could loop further into the mountains to gain more climbing, as the amount of vertical suggests.

Soft Trophy option: Not many to be honest. You could take a helicopter ride if the cowboy who has a chopper hasn’t crashed into the dam yet. The Mt Mulligan station has hot showers and real toilets – but no cabin options. Treat yourself and get a rub down.

Stage 7: Mt Mulligan – Granite Gorge. 118km/2100m

I haven’t experienced this one myself, but have heard it’s a true Croc stage. The bonus is, you only have 3 stages to go, and you’re heading towards the coast again! Flatter than the previous days, and you’ll end up coming out of the desert, back within reach of civilisation.

Soft Trophy option: Unknown. But look up Granite Gorge Nature Park when the course maps are released.

Stage 8: Granite Gorge – Wetherby. 115km/1900m

More classic MTB terrain! Wetherby Station hosts the start of the RRR, a long-running point to point MTB race that runs from the ranges, through the rainforest to the reef. The first third (or thereabouts) is on Wetherby station. It’s another long day but you’re on the home stretch.

Soft Trophy option: You might not even need to book ahead, send your support car up the road for cokes, cold towels and to get a room in the town of Wetherby

Stage 9: Wetherby – Port Douglas 40km/500m TIME TRIAL

Oh this is on! Chances are the race will use the Bump Track. This old road served the region with bullock trains climbing up from the port. Now it services tourists and the local medical clinic given the ‘bumps’ – standard Australian water bars. It’s a stunning run down the range, one that will wash any woes from the past 8 days away. This is probably even better than the Stage 9 in the Cape Epic!

Soft Trophy option: Full length arm warmers and leg warmers. Of the sun skins variety. There are plenty of stingy vines to hit on the way down if you get out of shape on the descent, and this will keep you comfortable for the after party.

Tempted? Keen? Well get your entries in and keep the 18-26 October free. Or, keep the 15-30 October free, as you might want to hang out in Cairns or Port Douglas to eat mangoes before or after the race.